After weeks of embarrassing press for Fox News, the company has cut ties
with Bill O’Reilly.

The move to oust the host of the top-rated show “The O’Reilly Factor” comes
following The New York Times’ April 1 story that revealed O’Reilly
and his parent company, 21st Century Fox, had settled five
sexual-harassment allegations for roughly $13 million.

For weeks,
as many as 50 advertisers pulled their dollars
from the show, and several groups called on the company to fire the host,
who left the show last week for a temporary, planned vacation. O’Reilly was
photographed this week meeting Pope Francis.

The only thing the company said about its decision was this terse statement
delivered by 21st Century Fox:

After a thorough and careful review of the allegations, the company and
Bill O’Reilly have agreed that Bill O’Reilly will not be returning to the
Fox News Channel.

O’Reilly spent 21 years with the Fox News Chanel, and many are speculating
that a legal battle could loom over the money owed as part of a multi-year
contract he signed.

On Wednesday, O’Reilly doubled down on his previous denial to allegations
against him with the following statement:

It is tremendously disheartening that we part ways due to completely
unfounded claims. But that is the unfortunate reality many of us in the
public eye must live with today.

News Corp Chairman Rupert Murdoch wrote in an internal memo that the
decision was made after "an extensive review done in collaboration with
outside counsel."

In the memo, Murdoch called O’Reilly "one of the most accomplished TV
personalities in the history of cable news,” adding that the company wished
“to underscore our consistent commitment to fostering a work environment
built on the values of trust and respect."

The company announced that Tucker Carlson will take over O’Reilly’s slot at
8 p.m. Eastern time.